Live music featuring the Welsh language will return to numerous venues across Swansea this autumn as Menter Iaith Abertawe’s Arts Council of Wales funded programme of events enters its second year.
Following a total of 28 events in the first year of the project, with over 4,000 people attending to enjoy performances by artists using the Welsh language in their work, this autumn will see another run of live events across the city. The project aims to build on the current Welsh language music scene in the city, offering a regular stage for artists from the area and beyond to perform, as well as offering regular opportunities for the people of Swansea to enjoy live music of the highest quality.
The programme will once again include regular gigs across city centre venues such as Tŷ Tawe, The Bunkhouse, and the Elysium, including headline sets from artists such as Angel Hotel, Tecwyn Ifan, HMS Morris, and Band Pres Llareggub. In addition to these events, the project will also visit new venues for the first time. Saturday the 9th of September will see an afternoon of acoustic music at the Railway Inn in Killay in collaboration with Trac Cymru.
The Gentle Good visit Dylan Thomas’ birthplace at 5 Cwmdonkin Drive as part of the Mentrau Iaith / PYST touring project on Wednesday the 4th of October, and Saturday the 4th of November sees a special event at the Forge Fach in Clydach to celebrate Welsh women in folk featuring DnA (Delyth & Angharad Jenkins).
Saturday the 10th of November will see Gŵyl NAWR, a celebration of left field and experimental music, visit Tŷ Tawe. This event will feature sets from Pat Morgan, Ani Glass, and R.Seiliog, with the full line up to be announced soon.
Tomos Jones, Menter Iaith Abertawe’s Head Officer, said “We enjoyed so many great events in the first year of the project, culminating in the Gŵyl Tawe celebration at the Waterfront Museum this June. Continuing to work with our partners in local grassroots venues to ensure these opportunities are available all year round is vitally important to both the Welsh language and the arts scene in the city, and we can’t wait to get started again with our autumn programme.”
Two further dates at The Bunkhouse will be announced soon. All other dates are on sale now, and tickets are available here or in person through Siop Tŷ Tawe. Free tickets for all events will continue to be available to Learn Welsh Swansea Bay Region students thanks to support from Academi Hywel Teifi.
Also continuing to run alongside these events is a weekly music club in collaboration with Urdd Gorllewin Morgannwg. These sessions offer opportunities for young people to develop skills such as song writing and recording techniques through the medium of Welsh. The next series of sessions will begin on the 4th of October and continue to run with the school term.
Full dates September – December 2023:
Saturday 9.9 – Sadwrn Acwstig: Bwca + Catrin O’Neill + Gwilym Bowen Rhys + Plu + Melda Lois (Railway Inn)
Friday 15.9 – Angel Hotel + The Bad Electric + Ffredi Blino + Head Noise (Elysium)
Thursday 28.9 – Gwilym + Y Cledrau + Parisa Fouladi (The Bunkhouse)
Saturday 30.9 – Tecwyn Ifan + Dafydd Owain + Lily Beau (Tŷ Tawe)
Wednesday 4.10 – The Gentle Good + Angharad Jenkins (5 Cwmdonkin Drive)
Thursday 5.10 – Saturday 7.10 – Swansea Fringe Festival (various venues) – including Band Pres Llareggub + Mr Phormula + Francis Rees (Tŷ Tawe)
Friday 20.10 – Gai Toms a’r Atomau + more/support (Tŷ Tawe)
Friday 3.11 – HMS Morris + more/support (Elysium)
Saturday 4.11 – DnA - Delyth & Angharad Jenkins (Forge Fach, Clydach)
Friday 10.11 – Clwb Ifor Bach present: Mellt + more/support (The Bunkhouse)
Saturday 11.11 – Gŵyl NAWR: Pat Morgan + Ani Glass + R.Seiliog + more to be announced (Tŷ Tawe)
Friday 24.11 – TBA (The Bunkhouse)
Saturday 25.11 – TBA (The Bunkhouse)
Friday 1.12 – Ynys + more/support (Tŷ Tawe)